It can be pretty disheartening listening to first-generation college students tell stories about hitting roadblocks and not knowing where to turn.

Shelley Bointy, a retention specialist for a mentoring program designed to help such students at Haskell Indian Nations University, has heard a few of those tales in her year with the program. But many of them have turned into success stories since the students started receiving support services, such as tutoring and peer counseling.

“The students are so thankful for the program because now they have somewhere to go,” Bointy said. “They have help there and they know it, and that reassurance is half the battle.”

But as the number of students served and demand for tutors grow, Haskell has run out of grant money to pay student tutors. Now, the program is looking for volunteers willing to put in a few hours a week to help students with math, science and English homework.

“The tutoring would take place mostly in the study rooms of the residential halls,” retention specialist Benny Smith said. “I would be looking for at least six to 10 tutors.”

The need for tutors will grow in the coming weeks as midterm exams approach.

The Haskell mentoring program is supported by a U.S. Department of Education TRIO grant and provides support services for first-generation, low-income college students. Each of three retention specialists works with a specific group of students: athletes, off-campus and on-campus. The grant provides for up to 150 students.

Haskell Indian Nations University is looking for volunteers to assist first-generation college students. Shelley Bointy, left, a retention specialist for Haskell's mentoring program, mentor Benny Smith, standing, and tutor Natasha Miles, right, work with students Amber Jaimez, 19, and Johnny Talawyma, 19, Thursday at Roe Cloud Hall on the Haskell campus. The program needs six to 10 more tutors.

Bointy works a lot with off-campus students, who typically have even more barriers to their education than traditional students.

“Because of their family obligations, they’re not able to utilize some of the departmental tutors,” she said. “They have to tutor at odd hours.”

In addition to tutoring, the program offers peer advising, graduation planning, incentive awards for academic achievement, personal counseling, student advocacy, community resource acquisition, workshops, opportunities for cultural enrichment and “fun stuff,” like free tickets to Lied Center events.

Haskell sophomore Amber Jaimez gets help in math during one-hour sessions, twice a week.

“It’s only for an hour, but I really need help in math,” said Jaimez, a member of the cheerleading squad. “It helps me out, and I know it helps other students out.”